The top speed of an industrial truck is officially set. Moreover, the speed is set by the use and the requirements during operation. To accelerate loading and unloading, it is naturally desired to drive the vehicle as frequently as possible at maximum speed. When approaching critical points, such as driving through warehouses or by shelves or the like, the driver has to reduce the speed in good time so that no danger is caused. Generally, the effect on the speed is dependent on the location and destination of the driver. It is, moreover, also known, in the areas where industrial trucks are operated, to put up signs which serve to control the traffic.
It has become known from DE 20 2005 005 409 U1, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, to provide industrial trucks with a device for wireless communication with an RFID transponder. The device is either arranged laterally on a fork arm or on the rear face of the load fork. RFID transponders are attached to loads or pallets for receiving loads. Such transponders are denoted, for example, as tags. It has become known from US 2003/0089771 A1, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, to arrange aerials for communicating with transponders on the part of the fork carrier on the load side, flush therewith or projecting in the direction of the load. The aerial is connected via a cable to a reader on the industrial truck, and which in turn may be connected via a cable to an on-board computer, in order for example to convey information to the driver about the stockyard and the type of pallet. Two or more transponders are generally attached to the pallets, more than one aerial being also generally attached to the industrial truck in order to communicate with the transponders. It is also known from the last-mentioned publication to provide the transponder with a battery and also to arrange said transponder at specific locations, for example in a warehouse, in order to denote a location for the storage of pallets. When triggered, the transponders generate a UHF signal, for example, which is evaluated in an electronic evaluation device and, for example, identifies a relevant pallet as it is provided with a corresponding identification code via the transponder.
Whilst the previous use of RFID technology serves for pallet and stockyard identification, the object of the invention is to provide a system for assisting the driver of an industrial truck which directly communicates particular traffic conditions to the driver within the working area.